Story: What it means to believe
Disclaimer: Not mine, sorry.
Summary: Tenten had become her northern star when it came to finding the unquestioning faith she had misplace throughout the years. Sakura x Tenten Friendship.
When she was little, Sakura had always been told that she could do anything she set her mind to. In the same way that all children believe adults, she accepted this concept as truth. This reassurance was what made her enter the academy and it was why she refused to give up on Sauske. The truth stated, if she waited long enough, if she believed hard enough, that these things would become her reality.
As a Genin Sakura would sometimes reflect on the matter. Every time that she did the girl thought of Naruto. Naruto, in all his loud and orange glory, was a living breathing example of the ideology. He had set his mind to becoming the Hokage, he BELIEVED he would do so and like everything else he believed he could do, Sakura believed he would one day reach the station. Naruto had reinforced a dying concept for his teammate and in doing so pushed her forward.
Sakura had managed to become a kunoichi but she would awkwardly admit that she was not good at her profession. As for her dream man, who had run off with a snake, he would have to be set on the back burner. There she could still believe in a future with him but her focus and determination would be set on different matters. The only problem was she didn't believe she could become a good kunoichi. Sauske had forced that belief straight out of her.
Tenten became her northern star when it came to finding the unquestioning faith she had misplace throughout the years. They had met accidentally, both of them were walking trough what the Shinobi called the weapon district. Tenten would later admit that she had been on her way to buy more weapon polish because she hated worrying about running out. Sakura would admit she didn't really know her reasons for anything these days.
They ended up eating in a small restaurant with horrible food and worse service. The youngest of the odd pair admitted that when she loves Sauske she knew that it was the time to focus on where she was going with her life. She confessed that she might be heading towards retirement from the life of a Shinobi. Tenten had blanched at her words. Where had the girl who had cut off her hair gone? Where was the warrior that had fought with everything she had against her best friend in a symbolic match? A match that was supposed to prove how much Sakura deserved the very role she was now questioning. Sakura wanted to know where that girl had gone too.
The girls had talked for a while longer in hushed tones. They both felt as if this was a matter that would only be spoken of this once. "Well, you are saying that you don't believe in your skill as a kunoichi, correct?"
Sakura flinched at the matter of fact tone, "Yes."
"What do you believe?" Tenten asked, "And I mean in terms of your ninja abilities."
Sakura thought about it for a while and they each picked at their plates. What did she believe? For once, Sakura actually questioned what the word believe meant to her. For the longest time the word stood for possibilities and promises. The word had always been about unquestionable faith but, it was time for Sakura to define the word for herself. The girl with crushed dreams needed the word to mean truth, because truth was less then unquestionable faith, truth was just unquestionable. She was sitting at the table with Tenten, truth. Naruto would be the Hokage one day, truth. She has perfect chakra control, truth. But, what did it mean. She asked Tenten as much.
"Think about it, reaching your dreams is never about just wishing hard enough. You have to work at it, why would you want the prize if the road hadn't been tough? Look at Lee, he can't use Ninjutsu but he makes a great ninja because he uses Taijutsu. You have chakra control, so find your strength there and then branch out."
A ninja needs a foundation to survive. This was the underlying principal of the academy after all. However, no two things are ever the same and Sakura really hoped that the typical foundation just wasn't right for her. Because if the foundation wasn't right there was still hope to build a new foundation. A new foundation meant she didn't have to give up her dream.
"Genjutsu and medical Ninjutsu then." Sakura commented after she had thought about what Tenten had said. The other girl grinned because Sakura hadn't questioned the fields she stated them with solid words.
"Good thing you have a brain on your shoulders. Imagine if Naruto had Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu to work with." Sakura believed he would have done just fine.
"Jiraiya is taking Naruto and me out on a retrieval mission soon. To be honest I don't think we will be bringing him back." Tenten nodded sadly and played with her straw.
"I don't think he will be coming back for a while Sakura. He is determined and I think that it would be best if you focus on yourself for a while. When you focus on Genjutsu and Medicine we can start training together. I always thought I should learn at least a little first aid. When you work it all out you can teach me some and I can help you with your aim. We can spar too and help each other." The weapon mistress offered, each knowing that Tenten would be the one carrying the weight for a while. Somewhere deep inside of her, Tenten knew that wouldn't be lasting to terrible long.
"I like the sound of that." Her voice was cheerful, maybe there were some truths left in the world. "I'll start researching some stuff and when I get back we can train together."
When Sakura did return to the village she knew that she would become a medic. Sakura would not allow herself to think otherwise and for many more reasons then just those spoken once in a horrible restaurant. She trained under Tsunade and she became very good at what she did. She progress, she became the best in her field and throughout it all she trained with Tenten; the person who had made sure she would get there with one chance meeting and one hushed conversation.